The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if instructors' use of mini audio presentations (MAPs) in online discussions serves as an effective facilitation method, particularly when the content contains specific facilitation markers including reinforcement, recognition, and reward (three Rs). Instructors posted MAPs as audio file attachments…

Humor has not always been looked on with favor in academia. For centuries, the "ideal" professor was a paragon of serious academic pursuit with no time for frivolous commentary. There was nothing funny about the rigors of learning. However, a growing body of literature is emerging that documents the potential positive effects of the systematic and…

There is widespread agreement within the scientific and education communities that undergraduate biology curricula fall short in providing students with the quantitative and interdisciplinary problem-solving skills they need to obtain a deep understanding of biological phenomena and be prepared fully to contribute to future scientific inquiry.…

This article presents integrated multicultural instructional design (IMID), a new pedagogical model that is responsive to the growing student diversity in postsecondary institutions in the U.S. and throughout the world. This work builds on previous research articles in the "Journal of College Reading and Learning" related to assessing…

Social studies and history teachers should be free to expose students to controversial ideas and to teach critical thinking skills. But are they free? Do they have the constitutional right--call it academic freedom--to teach what they want and to discuss controversial issues in the classroom? The short answer is "no." In this article,…

In the last few years, the Advanced Placement (AP) Program[R] has used evidence-centered assessment design (ECD) to articulate the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be taught in the course and measured on the summative exam for four science courses, three history courses, and six world language courses; its application to calculus and English…

Older adults have always been important parts of children's lives, playing a variety of roles including grandparent, caregiver, friend, and neighbour. Grandparents also play a variety of roles in families. Often a child's first encounter with serious illness or death involves a grandparent or other older adult. Grandparents are also increasingly…

The present article examines the effectiveness, teaching, assessment methods, and the importance of finance concepts in three undergraduate finance courses in a private university in Malaysia. Approximately 224 undergraduates (finance majors) were surveyed and demonstrated positive attitudes toward the effectiveness of the finance subjects. The…

This essay is an updated revision of an essay published by Marca V. C. Wolfensberger in the "Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council" 5.2 (fall/winter 2004): 55-66. A lot has changed in the Dutch honours landscape since the original version of the study was published. Although the body of knowledge is increasing, the insight…

The authors examine how representations of the Vietnam War in documentary film offer teachers unique opportunities to use visual media sources to teach a difficult moment in United States history. They discuss the use of documentary films and television, as well as Internet-based platforms such as YouTube. They argue that new media that serve as…

This study presents findings from an analysis of the Turkish Science and Technology Curriculum Guidelines and their alignment to the university entrance examination. The analysis of the Science and Technology Curriculum focused on various related aspects: content areas and learning outcomes in terms of scientific process skills, science technology…

One of the hallmarks of a quality liberal arts education is providing undergraduates the opportunity to wrestle with controversial issues. Yet many teachers feel ill-equipped when it comes to broaching disagreeable topics, managing the resulting heated debates, or helping students to separate their personal feelings from scientific evidence. This…

Many learning, behavioural and developmental problems can limit students' abilities to respond adequately to the school's curriculum. School personnel often join with colleagues, including school psychologists, to assist students in resolving these problems. This presentation describes a model program in which school psychologists and others…

Disaggregating the data across four school variables--size, locale, racial/ethnic minority population, and population eligible for free or reduced-price lunch--this study examines the extent to which Oregon grade 9-12 students enrolled in high school math courses during 2006/07 and 2007/08 would not have been on track to graduate had the new…

These Proceedings are a written record of the research presented at the 34th Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME-NA 2012) held in Kalamazoo, Michigan, November 1-4, 2012. The theme of the conference, "Navigating Transitions along Continuums," focuses on…